Big Ten may give commish power to fire coaches

In the wake of the scandal at Penn State, the Big Ten Conference is considering a plan to give its commissioner the power to punish schools with financial sanctions, suspensions and even the ability to fire coaches.

The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that an 18-page plan is being circulated among Big Ten leadership that raises the possibility of giving Commissioner Jim Delany such authority.

Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was recently convicted of sexually abusing 10 boys, sometimes on campus.

A report commissioned by Penn State said school leaders, including the late coach Joe Paterno, ignored allegations to avoid bad publicity.